Free Beautiful Curses: Book One by J. Dorothy Page A

always Jill after she fell down the hill.”
    Jo giggled, starting to feel calmer and more comfortable. James reached across and messed up her hair as he started to list more fictional characters he’d add to his dating list. When he’d finished James suggested they go for a walk and get a coffee. They kept chatting, like they had known each other for years. It was so easy being with James. Jo could feel herself liking him more and more. Only problem was, she had no clue what to do about it.
    When they finally returned, Spencer was sitting on the bonnet of the car. “Hey, you got coffee? Where's mine?” he asked, with a huge grin on his beaming face.
    Jo blew out a quiet sigh in relief, and handed him her cup with an equally huge grin. “Here you go. We got a bit dehydrated waiting all those hours for you.”
    James chuckled and Spencer pulled a face looking down into the dregs. “It’s all gone. What kind of a sister are you?”
    “The best kind,” Jo responded quickly and Spencer pulled her into a quick hug.
    “Can’t argue with that,” he said and kissed the top of her head.
     

 

     
    FOURTEEN
     
    Gabriella walked behind Spencer blowing on her wet, painted fingernails. He demanded she follow him into his room for a private chat, and she’d decided to indulge him.
    He quickly shut the door behind him, as Gabriella sat on his bed with her legs crossed. Placing his hands on his hips, he stared at her for a moment. She raised her brow and he let out a big breath. ‘Ella, why don't you want me to go out with Beth?’
    Gabriella gasped. “What do you mean? What makes you think that?”
    “You’ve been showing your friends a photo of me with a supposed model girlfriend. Apparently you met her when we were in London. Why would you do that, when you know Beth and I are together?”
    Gabriella glanced down at her nails and blew on them again.
    “Well?” he demanded.
    “How did you find out about that photo?”
    “The point is, Beth found out.  And after all that nonsense about Lisa, you can imagine how she felt about a photo of me with another girl.”
    “Yeah. That must have been awful. So, how did she find out? She never has anything to do with my friends?”
    “Mason, told her.”
    Blasted Mason. He never did anything right. He was always messing up.
    “Mason? I only asked him to deliver a message to her the other night, not give her intimate details of your life.”
    “Details that weren’t true and nearly led to us breadking up.” Spencer pulled his hands through his curly brown locks and glared at her.
    Gabriella took a moment to respond, trying to appear like she was organising her thoughts.
    “Look, I only wanted to prove how cool your life is. I didn't mean any harm. It was a way of protecting you too. My girlfriends are always asking about you. I thought if I made up a really hot girlfriend they’d leave us both alone.”
    “And?”
    “Remember when we were in London and you were helping your friend with her photography assignment. She was really pretty and she kissed you on the cheek to thank you. Well I took a picture of you both with my phone.”
    Spencer opened his eyes wider and shook his head. “You do know she really is a model and has a boyfriend the size of a bull. I'm glad you didn't share that photo with any of my friends from London, or I might be dead!”
    “Like I said, I only wanted to show my friends. I didn't think they'd tell anyone else and I destroyed it, so it won't come back and bite you.” Gabriella stopped and checked the colour of her nails. Perfect pink. Excellent it had set nicely.
    “So, you weren’t trying to break us up?”
    Gabriella scoffed. “Of course not. I didn't know about you and Beth then, and I showed Mason and my friends just before Christmas.”
    Spencer’s face relaxed and he put his hands by his side. He was too easy.
    “I suppose that all makes sense,” he said with a sigh. “But you have to tell your friends the truth.  Beth and I